Graves family makes new commercial zoning pitch

Courtesy of Beaufort County These maps show current and proposed zoning districts under consideration for seven Pepper Hall Plantation tracts.

Courtesy of Beaufort County These maps show current and the proposed "future land use" categories under consideration for seven Pepper Hall Plantation tracts. The proposed land use guideline changes are tied to a county rezoning application.

Robert, John and Paul Graves are back seeking Beaufort County rezoning to allow development of about 143 rural acres on the north side of U.S. 278 between the Okatie River and Graves Road.

The about-face comes after they dropped an attempt last year to get annexed into the town of Bluffton and made part of the Buckwalter Planned Unit Development.

The proposal for an assembly of seven parcels from Pepper Hall Plantation began the review process at a meeting of the county planning commission’s south-county subcommittee on Thursday night in Bluffton.

The committee passed a motion by a 3-2 vote to advance the proposal to the full planning commission with no recommendation. The other options were to recommend denial, as county planning staff had proposed, or to recommend approval.

Before the County Council reaches a final decision, “you’re looking at about a four-month process,” said Anthony Criscitiello, planning director.

The properties are now zoned as Rural Transitional Overlay District on the 37 acres fronting U.S. 278 and “rural” for the remainder. The application seeks “Commercial Regional” zoning — the county’s most intense commercial zoning category — for about 64 acres fronting U.S. 278 and “Suburban” zoning for the balance, according to a county planning report.

Berkeley Hall, a gated community, adjoins the property to the east.

According to a county planning summary, “The applicant believes the proposed amendment is consistent with the surrounding land uses and growth trends and that the current widening of U.S. 278 from four lanes to six lanes will accommodate the additional traffic that would potentially result from rezoning.”

In its recommendation, planning staff said it was recommending denial for three reasons:

• (Traffic generated by) the proposed rezoning would eventually consume the additional capacity that is being added by the widening of U.S. 278 from four to six lanes.

• Allowing intense commercial and moderate-density residential development would work counter to the county’s (environmental protection) policies in the Okatie headwaters.

• Proposed rezoning is not supported by the Comprehensive Plan which was adopted in early 2011.

The staff report added “the portion of this property fronting U.S. 278 is currently zoned Rural-Transitional Overlay. The application of the Transitional Overlay district recognizes that this site is within a developing area and that it may be suitable for additional uses other than those allowed under the current zoning. The Comprehensive Plan designated the front 21 acres of this property Community Commercial. Therefore, a transition of the front 21 acres of this property would be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.”

In 2001, County Council approved the rezoning of the 37 acres fronting U.S. 278 from “rural” to “rural transitional overlay,” but that would still require rezoning for commercial development, county planner Rob Merchant said.

In 2002, council approved “upzoning” of a 17.5 acre tract directly to the east upon which Honda and Mercedes car dealerships have been built.

Bluffton lawyer James Scheider Jr., representing the applicants, and Graves development land planner Milt Rhodes, a former Bluffton planning and environmental division director, said no development was immediately planned for the proposed rezoning area. Both said a development could be arranged to blend with the surrounding community.

Rhodes also questioned the county’s traffic impact projections and said internal traffic in the proposed development area could keep cars off U.S. 278.

Scheider said the Graves want to lock in future development rights for the long-held family land. He said they had tried county rezoning before turning their efforts to the town.

The subcommittee’s proposal will go the full Planning Commission at its 6 p.m. Feb. 6 meeting in council chambers in the county administration building, 100 Ribaut Road, Beaufort.

The panel will make a recommendation to the County Council for a final decision.

Rezoning would require council adoption of an ordinance by approval in three readings at separate meetings. Before full council consideration, the request will be reviewed by the council’s Natural Resources Committee, Criscitiello said.

Because of the county submittal, the Graves have withdrawn an annexation and rezoning application before the town of Bluffton, said Marc Orlando, Bluffton growth management director and deputy town manager.

The proposal apparently became dormant after town officials asked for more detailed information and plans when the annexation proposal was tabled June 14, 2011 on first reading. Scheider said Town Council had made it known they did not want to annex.

Three different annexation proposals were made to the town, starting with a 2008 attempt to annex a larger area made up of 234 acres on both sides of the Okatie River. Town Council rejected it on a tie vote with then-Mayor Hank Johnston absent.